Restoring Joy : A Bible Study Guide

By Timothy Oskins

This restorative bible study guide presents twelve means of restoring the joy a person has lost in their life. The Means are based on the beatitudes and principles taught by Jesus found in Matthew 5 & Luke 6. Most often a person loses joy because they're hurting. The cause of their hurt can be from anger, anxiety, fear, forgiveness, grief, guilt, hate, resentment... Normally their hurt came about from a past event in their life or from the actions of others. If they allow this hurt to fester, it can lead to a hang-up, a habit, depression and health problems. Bible scripture provides guidelines on how to get rid of this hurt by turning it over to God, to believe and trust God for healing and restoration, to experience God's love and mercy, to become at peace with oneself, to have peace with the world, to have peace with others, to become at peace with death, to have JOY. 'Restoring Joy A Bible Study Guide' will lead you through the relevant bible scripture to sustain your quest for JOY.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Lulu.com
• Release date: Apr 12, 2011
• ISBN: 9781257576555

Book preview

Restoring Joy

A Bible Study Guide

by Timothy Oskins

Third Edition 2007

Introduction

This Bible study guide explores twelve Means of restoring the joy a person has lost in his or her life. The Means are from the beatitudes and principles taught by Jesus found in Matthew 5 & Luke 6. Most often a person loses joy because they’re hurting. The cause of their hurt can be from anger, anxiety, fear, forgiveness, grief, guilt, hate, resentment... Normally their hurt came about from a past event in their life or from the actions of others. If they allow this hurt to fester, it can lead to a hang-up, a habit, depression and health problems. Bible scripture provides guidelines on how to get rid of this hurt by turning it over to God, to believe and trust God for healing and restoration, to experience God's love and mercy, to become at peace with oneself, to have peace with the world, to have peace with others, to become at peace with death, to have JOY. In the following Twelve Means, this study guide will lead you through the relevant Bible scripture to sustain your quest for JOY. Each Mean is presented as: (1) Mean defined, (2) Affiliated Beatitude, (3) Supporting Bible Scripture, (4) Scripture to Study.

The Twelve Means

The Twelve Meansare the acrostic:

RESTORING JOY

Recognize you are hurting, you are human, and you need help.

Embrace God's love, believe God through Jesus Christ can heal and restore you.

Submit to God's will; turn your life over to God.

Tally your past. Make a spiritual inventory.

Openly Admit to yourself, to God, and someone you trust.

Repent allowing God to remove your defects.

Invite God to remove your shortcomings.

Name those you have harmed and those you need to forgive.

Give Restitution Make amends with those harmed. Peace with those you need to forgive.

Journal Keep a daily Spiritual Journal of your life.

Orison You need quiet time for daily prayer and meditation.

Yield to God's will and show others what God has done in your life.

' R ' - First Means

Recognize you are hurting, you are human, and you need help.

Begin by reciting the Prayer for Serenity.

God, grant me the serenity

to accept the things I cannot change,

the courage to change the things I can,

the wisdom to know the difference.

Living one day at a time,

enjoying one moment at a time;

accepting hardship as a pathway to peace;

Taking, as Jesus did,

this sinful world as it is;

not as I would have it;

trusting that You will make all things right

if I surrender to Your will;

so that I may be reasonably happy in this life

and supremely happy with You forever in the next.

Amen

Sub Contents:

Recognize - 1st Means

Beatitudes - 1st Means

Supporting Scripture - 1st Means

Scripture to Study - 1st Means

Recognize - First Means

Recognize you are hurting, you are human, and you need help.

Recognize that you have a problem. If you deny there is a problem, how can healing begin?

Recognize that you are not God. You alone cannot do it.

Recognize that you are powerless to control your pain.

Recognize that you are powerless to control your past.

Recognize that you are powerless to control other people.

Recognize that you are powerless to control your problem.

Recognize that you want your life to change and you will need help.

Beatitudes - First Means

Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Matthew 5:3 NKJV

Blessed are you poor, for yours is the kingdom of God. Luke 6:20